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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. HERMITE & O. P. COOPER. APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC BLEAOHING.

No. 379,465. Patented Mar. 13, 1888.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. HERMITE & O. F. COOPER. APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIGYBLEAGHING.

No. 379,465. Patented Mar. 13, 1888.

IN MI mum OOOOO'OG- O.OOOOOO'O O Even/ions: I llgenej'frmz'z'e v (gar 6121. 0 0072??? NTTED STATES PATENT 'rFicE.

EUGENE HERMITE AND CHARLES E. COOPER, OF DALSTON, COUNTY OF -MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS JAMES PATERSON, OF SAME PLACE.

OF ONE-THIRD TO EDWARD APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC BLEACHING.

SPECIPICATICN forming part of Letters Patent 110.379.465, dated March 13, 1888. Application filed August .34, 18 87. Serial No. 247.758. (No model.) Patented in England February 8, 1887, No. 1,993.

analogous substance which is subjected to elec--' trolytic action it is found best to place in communication with the bleaching tanks or vessels another vessel through which the bleachingliquor is caused to circulate, this vessel containing the electrodes which are connected to a dynamoelectric machine or other source of electricity. The liquor in passing through this vessel is electrolyzed; it goes to the bleachingtanks, where it acts on the material under treatment; it returns to the electrolyzing-ves- U sel, to he again electrolyzed; and so on, continuously, without waste, except of such small quantity of liquid as is taken away by the moist material.

Our invention relates to the construction of the electrolyziug apparatus in such a manner as to render it effective by exposing large and clean surfaces to the circulating liquid and readily accessible for repair or for varying the degree of the electrolyzing influence. For the positive electrodes we use a number of thin sheets of platinum, stiffened at their edges by non-conducti ng material, or they may be plates having their surfaces coated with platinum, as foil, or as deposit on them. These sheets we place vertically parallel to one another and all connected to a conductor extending across them. Between the sheets of platinum we arrange the negative electrodes. consisting of sheets of zinc. As the zinc is liable to receive on it solid deposit from the electrolyzed liquid, we provide for cleansing its surface by making the zinc in the form of disks fixed on shafts caused to revolveslowly while knives or scrapers are pressed against the surfaces of the disks.

While the zinc disks revolve, their connection with the electrical conductor is made by brushes or rubbers. In the electrolyzing-vessel and pipes communicating with it no metal other than zinc or platinum is employed. Generally the vessel itself and the pipes are best made of ceramic or such like material.

The accompanying drawings represent electrolysing-apparatus according to our invention.

Figure 1 is a side view,and Fig. 2is a plan. Fig. 8 is a transverse section, and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section, both of these figures being to an enlarged scale of the electrolyzing-cell.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2,showing the general arrangement of the apparatus, A is atank, which receives from the bleaching-vats the liquor to be electrolyzed, and supplies them with liquor when it has been electrolyzed.

B is arotary pump which draws liquor from the tank A and sends it into the lower part of the electrolyzing-cell G, from the'upper part of which the liquor flows back to the tank A,the liquor being thus kept circulating through the cell 0 until it is sufficiently electrolyzed.

D is a dynamo-electric machine, from the terminals of which suitable insulated conductors lead to the positive and negative plates in the cell 0, as we will presently describe.

\Ve have shown the pump 13 and a shaft, E, for driving the zinc disks, as being connected together by bands acting on pulleys, so that all are driven together from one motor, but obviously they might be driven separately.

Such being the general arrangement of the apparatus, we will now proceed to describe more particularly the construction of the electrolyzing-cell O and of the positive and negativeelements'which are immersed in the liq- The cell C is partly divided by a central longitudinal partition, I, which, however, leaves sufficient passage above and below for the circulation of the liquor through the two compartments of the cell. In each of these compartments there isa shaft, K, journaled in end bearings, both these shafts being caused to revolve slowly by worm-wheels on them gearing with worms on the cross shaft E. The shafts K have fixed on them the zinc disks L, and between ea-ch pair of these disks is placed one of the platinum or platinized plates M. Each of these plates M is held in a frame, from one of the upper angles of which projects upward an arm, N, with a boltprojecting from it horizontally. At each side of the cell is fixed a rack, P, which is insulated from the cell and from the structure generally, but is electrically connected by rods Q (see Figs. 1 and 2) to one of the terminals of the dynamo-electric machine D. In each of the notches of the racks P a bolt of one of the arms N is held by nuts screwed on the bolt at each side of the rack. Thus all the plates M are connected to one ofthe terminalsofthe dynamo-electric machine. The other terminal is connected directly to the metal of the cell O,and is thus electrically connected to all the zinc disks L. On the partitions I are fixed inclined scrapers S,whieh, as the disks L revolve, scrape their flat surfaces and scrape also the cylindrical surfaces of the tubularbosses by which the disks are fixed on the shafts K,andthus clear them of deposit. While the liquor by the pump B is kept in circulation through the cell 0, the electricalcurrent produced by the dynamo electric machine passes through theliquor, between the platinum plates K and the zinc disks L, and electrolyzes the liquor.

WVe do not claim in this application the process of bleaching by the electrolysis of a solu tion of magnesium chloride, as that forms the subject of a separate application for patent filed by Eugene Hermite, February 11, 1885, Serial No. 155,601.

Having thus described the nature of our invention and the best means we know of carrying it out in practice, we claim- 1. In an apparatus for electrolyzing bleaching solutions, a cell in which are suspended a number of platina or platinized plates electrically connected to one terminal of a source of electricity, a series of zinc disks arranged to revolve between the platina plates and connected electrically to the other terminal, stationary inclined scrapers adapted to cleanse said disks, pipes by which the solution is caused to circulate through said cell,and a pump with which said pipes are connected, substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for electrolyzing bleaching solutions, a cell partly divided bya longitudinal vertical partition into two compartments, in each of which isjournaled a horizontal shaft carrying a number ofzine disks, between which are suspended platinum or platinized plates, all these plates being connected to one terminal of an electric generator, while all the zinc disks are connected to the other terminal and have inclined scrapers bearing against their faces and bosses, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 6th day of August, A. D. 1887.

E. HERMITE. CHARLES F. COOPER. \Vitnesses:

OLIVER IMRAY, Patent Agent, 28 Southampton Buildings, London, W. G.

JNo. P. M. MILLARD, Clerk to Bless-rs. Abel &; Immy, Consulting Engineers dZPatent Agents, 28 Southampton Buildings, London, W. C 

